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Topic Review (Newest First)

05-31-2014 07:51 PM

Pawsed

Springbrz--Thanks very much.

05-31-2014 04:21 PM

Moriah

Well, I was a lurker here before I signed up. I've gotten much info on being a better German Shepherd handler/owner. Someone from the forum gave me the name a good GSD trainer which has made all the difference.

New people looking for a dog can get valuable information and direction. It's an entry point into the forum. I read all those posts and I am being educated, too, even though I already have a dog. Navigating the forum takes a little bit of know-how. A brand new person may not know how to access "Searching for a breeder" thread. Plus, how better to welcome a new comer than answering questions that are mundane to the experienced forum member, but good info for all the newbies like me.

I'm guessing that one of the goals of this forum is to foster better knowledge of GSDs and to help people be the best GS person/handler/owner/advocate possible. I am so appreciative of all the members who have given valuable advice and help.

05-31-2014 04:11 PM

Springbrz

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pawsed

Sorry to hi-jack this thread, but is there a place I can go to find what all those abbreviations mean? Obviously, I'm new here, but not new to having German Shepherds. Ours have all been pets, and I'm not familiar with the different labels, but would like to learn.
Thanks

I think all message boards wish more people would utilize the search function, and when it comes to multiple threads and what to do with them it's a darned if you do, darned if you don't type situation as to which is more annoying; repetitive threads or Lazarus threads that come back from the dead after 3 years?

I do think for finding a breeder type topics that new threads are better and more helpful. Partly because this is more likely to be a "unique snowflake" situation than is the "help, my puppy is biting me, is he getting aggressive?!" type threads. For the later, the answer is going to be the same as it was the previous dozen times the question was asked this year. For finding a breeder, getting to know more about the person's unique experience, situation, lifestyle and goals, and figuring out how much they know and don't know so that we can educate if need be on things like the differences in bloodlines, can have a significant impact on the responses. The other problem that I see with older threads is that sometimes things change. There has been more than one occasion on the board where someone sung the praises of a particular breeder, often vehemently defending the breeder if the breeder was questioned, based on their experience with their 10 week old puppy. Then a few years later, health or temperament problems develop, all of a sudden the breeder doesn't answer emails or phone calls, and the buyer may have different feelings altogether. Someone reading the recommendation in an older thread may be led astray by having what is now outdated information.

05-31-2014 12:54 PM

Pawsed

Sorry to hi-jack this thread, but is there a place I can go to find what all those abbreviations mean? Obviously, I'm new here, but not new to having German Shepherds. Ours have all been pets, and I'm not familiar with the different labels, but would like to learn.
Thanks

05-31-2014 12:43 PM

LoveEcho

People are a big fan of beating dead horses- the "do titles matter" argument over, and over, and over, and over comes to mind.

05-31-2014 12:37 PM

alexg

Valid points.
But some new posters might not even know the difference in WL, SL, DDR etc. as you can see in their very 1st posts.
I also believe the location is very important to those who are starting the thread "Looking for a breeder inXXX" and to those who value the opportunity to visit the kennel, have a face to face talk with a breeder and see the dogs and puppies.

05-31-2014 12:13 PM

Castlemaid

Not really, because it depends on what the person is looking for. If they are looking for show lines, why wade through a slew of working line breeder recommendations?

If they are looking for a service dog candidate, why wade through X amount of posts where someone else was looking for a low-drive hang-out-in-the-back-yard pet?

It is important that people articulate what they are looking for so that others can make appropriate recommendations, and that is often more important than their physical location.

05-31-2014 11:49 AM

alexg

New threads on the same topic

I'm just wondering if it might be preferred to have a single thread for "Searching for a breeder..." in Timbuktu than starting a new thread every time a resident of Timbuktu registers in this forum in search of a local breeder.